Crip Poetry and the Poetry of Health

INSTRUCTOR: Sarah Gajkowski-Hill

TIME: Saturday, January 27, 9:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. CST

PRICE: Early bird price: $45 for members, $60 for nonmembers. The deadline for early bird pricing is Sunday, January 21. After Sunday, January 21: $55 for members, $70 for nonmembers. Become a member here. Apply for a scholarship here.

LOCATION: Writespace, 1907 Sabine Street, #125, Houston, TX 77007 (map). This workshop is also available via Zoom

LEVEL: All levels

CAP: 15

“Crip Poetry” is a term for poetry about disability – the nod to the word “crippled” is a way of reclaiming the power of that word. Is a disability born with or developed? Painful or not painful? Mental or physical? As a crip poet, Sarah Gajkowski-Hill will discuss the disabled body, mental illness, as well as the healthy body, which will all serve as a jumping-off point for several types of poems, including extended metaphors. Students will explore many works, from examining “Song of Myself” by Walt Whitman to the work of famous crip poets like Vassar Miller and Robert Fagan, and even mentally ill poets, such as Sylvia Plath and essayist Virginia Woolf. Strength, self-expression and resilience will be celebrated in this session — as we center on both grief and acceptance.

Please note: Your Zoom link to join online will be found in your confirmation of purchase email and in the email reminders you receive prior to the class from Eventbrite. Thank you.

This event is funded in part by the City of Houston through Houston Arts Alliance. This project is generously funded by the Houston Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs, and Mid-America Arts Alliance.